The present embodiments relate to joint evaluation of a medical image dataset on at least two data processing devices that are connected via a data transmission network, a corresponding system.
In medicine, increasing use is made of collaborative processing work, in which digital medical image datasets are jointly evaluated (e.g., assessed) by a plurality of users (e.g., medical experts from the same specialist field or different specialist fields within medicine). In modern medicine, this assessment is normally carried out electronically, using data processing equipment (e.g., computers).
For the purpose of a high degree of working efficiency and a high-quality assessment result, it is usually useful for the evaluation to take place at the same time for all the users concerned (e.g., in the context of a discussion in which the users may exchange information directly and in real time). Typically, the experts concerned therefore gather in front of a screen for joint evaluation of an image dataset. However, it is frequently not possible or at least not good value for money to gather the users concerned at one location at the same time. Rather, it is often desirable to carry out the joint evaluation of medical image datasets remotely, using a plurality of data processing devices that are connected via a data transmission network.
Experience has shown that it is of great importance for the efficiency of a collaborative evaluation process of this kind that the same information is made available to all the experts concerned without substantial loss of time. For example, it is to be provided that all those concerned see the same image information. This requirement is not usually satisfactorily realizable using data processing systems and methods of the prior art.
The prior art enables a plurality of users to see and assess the same dataset on respective local data processing devices simultaneously, using respective local applications at the same time independently of one another. However, the assessments respectively generated by the individual operators are not then visible, or only visible with a considerable time delay, to the respectively other users, with the result that an effective exchange of information is not possible. When the same image dataset is processed independently by a plurality of users, there is a high risk that the work results of one user will be overwritten by the actions of another user and will thus be lost.
One of the users may make his or her screen content (e.g., the information displayed on his or her screen) available to another data processing device by using remote screen technology. However, distribution of the screen display using remote screen technology may entail considerable loss of quality of the image data to be displayed (e.g., if the data processing devices concerned have screens or other visual display units with different form factors). For this reason, usually only the user who is carrying out distribution can and may generate assessments in the system, which in turn counteracts effective collaboration. Similar problems also occur with conventional applications for online conferences or webinars.